


Relieving Tension

by EllaBesmirched (El_Bell)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Happy Ending, I'll see myself out, M/M, ba dum tss, massage therapist Levi, newly almost-divorced Erwin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 20:58:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17794628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/El_Bell/pseuds/EllaBesmirched
Summary: Erwin is a very stressed out new divorcee. Levi is a massage therapist.That's it that's all this is





	Relieving Tension

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this MONTHS ago but I was bored at work today and found it again and decided it would be PERFECT for a quick Valentine's day post. I missed Valentine's day by a few minutes but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

“You need to relax,” Mike said, pointing at Erwin with his fork. 

Erwin frowned into his homemade Pad Thai and pushed his noodles around on his plate. 

“Trust me!” Mike insisted, throwing out his arms. “All you do is work, workout, and _sulk.”_

“I don’t _sulk,”_ Erwin complained. He was in fact sulking at that moment however, so he stuffed a lime-and-peanut-covered shrimp in his mouth and chewed. 

“This apartment is depressing.” 

Erwin threw his head back and rolled his eyes at the ceiling. “It’s not… what am I supposed to _do_ about it?” he demanded, lifting his head. 

“Move your furniture around,” Mike answered. “Take down his pictures. It _looks_ like someone just moved out. Way I see it, you have plenty of fucking room for your own shit now that you don’t have to worry about all his knickknacks and weird ass throw pillows.” 

Erwin frowned. “I liked his--”

“No, you didn’t,” Mike interrupted. 

“Yeah, they were awful.”

“See? And now they’re _gone.”_

“You’re missing the point,” Erwin said, finally rolling some noodles onto his fork. “When you lay out all the little pieces it sounds like the best goddamn thing to ever happen to me. But when you add those little pieces up they turn into one very large empty… _space_ that is usually filled.”

Mike raised his brows and then gave Erwin an amused and slightly lecherous grin. 

“Oh, fuck off,” Erwin snapped. “My whole damn life has been upended, I’m allowed to _sulk_ if I want to.” 

“Erwin,” Mike said very slowly. “When was the last time you two fucked?” 

Erwin narrowed his eyes. “That’s none of your business.” 

“Come on, just tell me.”

Erwin curled his lips suspiciously, chewed on his cheek. “It’s. Been a while.” 

“ _How long?”_

Erwin scrubbed his hand over his face. Somehow _this_ was more embarrassing to admit than anything else, more embarrassing even then telling Mike he’d come home and found his apartment short one flesh and blood husband. 

“At least a year,” he groaned through his fingers. 

“Shit, _really?”_ Mike demanded. “I mean. Sorry. I didn’t figure it was that bad. Anyway, that’s my _point._ You don’t actually give a shit that he left. You’re just worried about shit _changing._ You _need_ a change.” 

“I _give a shit_ my husband _left me,_ Mike,” Erwin snapped. 

“We both know he did you a favor.” 

Erwin frowned again. 

“When was the last time you cooked before today?” 

Erwin lifted his head. “What?” 

“When was the last time you cooked at home? Your fridge is full of takeout.” 

“I…” 

Mike was right. It _had_ been a while since Erwin had cooked dinner. Tom couldn’t boil water; Erwin had always loved making him dinner, but it had been months since he’d done something like this, like the Pad Thai he’d made for Mike, from-scratch noodles and all. He hadn’t touched his stove top once in that time and had hardly even noticed. 

“You stopped doing all the shit you like to do,” Mike told him. “I’m surprised you even managed to keep making it to the gym.” He paused and gave Erwin a suspicious look. “Except that I guess if you were there you didn’t have to come home.” 

When Erwin didn’t answer, Mike said, “It’s been a month. Move your shit around, get a haircut, and go to a bar or something.” 

“What’s wrong with my hair?” Erwin snapped, touching the side of his head. 

“You’ve had the same cut since you got married,” Mike said with a shrug. “Mix it up a little.” 

Erwin ground his teeth. The conversation was more stressful than he wanted it to be. But really. Go to a bar? _Alone? Single?_

“ _Oh!”_ Mike said loudly. “Shit, you should go get a massage.” 

Erwin narrowed his brows. “What? Why?”

“You used to do that shit _every week_ before _he_ got all weird about other people touching you. So start going again. What’s he gonna do?” 

“The place I used to go to closed,” Erwin muttered. 

“So, go where I go,” Mike said with a shrug. “It’s like a block from the office.” 

Erwin chewed his food and considered. He’d been throwing all his energy into his workouts for months now; his whole body was always one big, satisfying ache from the time he woke up to the time he went to bed. 

And Mike was right; all the ways Erwin had taken care of himself in the early years of his marriage-- cooking his own food, regular massages after his workouts, a sex life that _existed_ \-- had slowly disappeared over the last few years. Particularly the last year and a half. 

“Maybe… I could do a massage,” he said finally. 

“It’s a _start_ ,” Mike drawled. “And take your ring off,” he added, looking down at Erwin’s hands with a scowl. 

Erwin frowned and turned the white gold band on his finger. Some things he wasn’t quite ready for. 

*

Erwin showered at the gym, which he didn’t usually do, and then made his way to Mike’s spa. The front of the building was unassuming, understated even. Erwin had to walk up a rickety flight of stairs that made him question Mike’s recommendation, but his fears were assuaged the second he opened the door to the business. 

He stepped into a softly lit room with white furniture, white swags hanging from the walls, little tinkling water fountains in every corner, and quiet instrumental music. One other person was reading a book in a chair, waiting for their appointment. 

A pretty redhead sat behind the desk. She was dressed all in white too, and when Erwin stepped through the door, she smiled at him. 

“Mr. Smith?” 

“Yes,” Erwin said with a cursory smile. 

“Welcome! If you would just fill out this form for us, we’ll get you all squared away.” 

When Erwin handed the completed form back, the little woman smiled at him. Her name tag read ‘Petra.’ She glanced down at the paper, and said, “Wonderful. If you’ll just follow me.” 

She led Erwin to one of the many rooms through the door behind the desk and said, “Levi will be with you in just a moment.” 

Erwin nodded and took a seat. It had been a while since he’d done this, but the room was familiar enough-- more low lighting, a little fountain, some sort of oil diffuser that smelled of lavender. He flipped casually through a news article on his phone while he waited but he was only looking down for a moment before there was a knock on the door and it opened. 

Erwin lifted his head and then dropped his phone. 

“Mr. Smith.” 

Erwin gave the man a short smile, eyes averted, before he reached for his phone, horrible heat in his cheeks. 

The massage therapist standing in the doorway was perhaps the most attractive man Erwin had ever seen in person before. When Erwin lifted his eyes from the floor, his blush only deepened. 

The man held out his hand, face flat and expressionless. “I’m Levi.” 

Erwin shook his hand, forcing himself not to hesitate to touch Levi even though he was, stupidly, afraid to. Levi shook his hand. He had a strong, firm handshake. But of course he did. 

He was short-- maybe five three-- and managed to appear thin and solid at the same time. The drawstring of his white pants was pulled tight enough that Erwin could see how slim his waist was, but his shoulders seemed _wide_ and strong. His hair fell across his forehead in a long fringe, but the back and sides were shaved into an undercut. Unlike the woman at the front desk, Levi was wearing long sleeves, but when he shook Erwin’s hand, Erwin could see fine lines tattooed across his knuckles. 

“Nice to meet you,” Erwin said belatedly, staring into Levi’s silver-gray eyes. 

“When was the last time you had a massage?” Levi asked, dropping Erwin’s hand. His eyes stayed glued to Erwin’s face and his tone of voice held a sort of flat boredom that would usually annoy Erwin. Except his voice was surprisingly deep and Erwin… he liked it. A lot. 

“Uh. Few years,” Erwin said with an attempt at a smile. He almost reminded himself he was married. And then he reminded himself he wouldn’t be for much longer. 

“Anything in particular bring you in today?”

“No,” Erwin said, a little too quickly. “Just. Seemed like a thing to do.” 

Levi looked down at the clipboard he was holding. “You’re an athlete?” 

“Yes. Crossfit, weight lifting, a lot of high intensity interval training.” 

“That shi--” Levi’s voice stuttered to a halt and he amended, “ _Stuffs_ terrible for your joints.” His voice never wavered above a flat near whisper.

Erwin smiled. “So I’ve heard. I’m careful.” 

“Mhmm. Are you allergic to anything?” he asked, looking down at his board again. “Any skin sensitivities?” 

“No.” 

“Right. Take your clothes off, get on the table face up. I’ll be back when you’re ready.” 

He turned without another word and left. 

Erwin stared at the door for perhaps a beat longer than he should have. Under normal circumstances, he would have been annoyed by Levi’s curt manner. It almost bordered on rude. He lacked the gentle, soothing energy Erwin prefered in a massage therapist. 

But…

Erwin swallowed and unbuttoned his shirt. 

A few short moments later, when Erwin was laying on the table under the sheets and thin blanket, Levi knocked on the door again. “Ready?”

“Uh. Yeah.” 

Levi stepped in and Erwin watched him cross to the shelf with all the massage oils. “Just relax and focus on your breathing, Mr. Smith,” Levi said tiredly. 

Erwin closed his eyes and tried to do just that, but his heart was beating more quickly than it had any right to. 

He almost jumped when Levi touched him. He started at the head of the table, rubbed oil between his palms and then started in on Erwin’s neck and shoulders. 

Erwin regretted everything immediately. He realized that it had been far too long since anyone had touched him for more than a handshake, or, in Mike’s case, a conciliatory hug when Erwin had finally admitted to him that he’d come home one day to an empty apartment and had just… continued on with his life for two weeks as if nothing had changed. 

Levi had strong hands. Of course he did, Erwin thought, but it was still nice to feel them. 

He was also _very_ good at this. After a few passes over his very tight shoulders, Erwin felt himself relax a little, made himself relax the muscles in his face and take a few deep breaths. If he didn’t think too hard about _who_ was touching him, it was easy to fall back into the headspace from before, when he did this once a week or more, when he’d been training hard and needed the release. 

He didn’t open his eyes again for the full ninety minutes, and Levi only spoke once, when he held the sheet up and instructed Erwin to turn over. 

When he paid at the front desk, he tipped nearly fifty percent (which was stupid since he knew he would have to keep doing it, now that the precedent had been set) and set another appointment for the following week. 

*

“Shit,” Erwin cursed, setting the medicine ball down and rolling his neck. He was drenched in sweat, chest heaving, and his whole body thrummed with weak, shivery relief now that he wasn’t carrying a hundred pounds on his shoulders. 

“What?” Mike panted, dropping his own ball with a loud _thwack._

“Tweaked the fuck out of my neck,” Erwin complained, rubbing at the spot. He could tell instantly that something was wrong. His whole neck burned and it was radiating down between his shoulder blades. “I fucking loathe weighted runs,” he complained. 

Mike shrugged. “We haven’t done legit cardio work in like a month.” 

“We jumped rope last week,” Erwin countered. 

Mike scoffed and waved his hand. “You’ll be fine. Just ice when you get home tonight.” 

Erwin did just that, but it didn’t help, and he walked into his appointment with Levi that Friday rubbing at a spot on his shoulders. Levi stepped into the room and by way of greeting, narrowed his eyes and said, “What’d you do?” 

“Tweaked it working out,” Erwin admitted. He’d been coming to Levi every week for a month and a half now and this was the first time Levi had said anything beyond the careful script he’d used that first day. 

Levi rolled his eyes. “I told you crossfit is--”

“It was my fault,” Erwin countered. “I was running with a medicine ball and I wasn’t carrying the weight properly.” “How often do you work out?” Levi demanded. His eyes flicked to Erwin’s gym bag by his side when he said it; Erwin always had it with him. 

“Uh. Every weekday after work. Rest on the weekends”

Levi made a face. 

Erwin smiled. “I’m a big boy, Levi. I know how to exercise properly.” 

“Not if you’re fucking up your neck, you don’t,” Levi snapped. Then he paused. And cleared his throat. “Uh. _Messing_ up your neck.” 

Erwin snorted. 

“Get on the table,” Levi said sharply, rolling his eyes again and quickly stepping out of the room. 

Erwin complied. 

When Levi came back in and put his hands on Erwin’s shoulders, Erwin again had to remind himself that it was probably very unprofessional to groan in appreciation. 

Levi actually whistled. “Shit, you’re tight.” Then he muttered. “Goddamnit.” 

Erwin actually laughed. 

“Listen, don’t tell Petra,” Levi told him. 

“Your sailor mouth doesn’t offend me,” Erwin told him blithely. 

“Good,” Levi muttered. “Tell me if this is too much.” 

He punctuated his words by pressing his thumb into a spot where Erwin’s neck and shoulder met. Erwin could only reply tightly, “No. Fine.” 

Levi muttered wordlessly and started pressing his fingers into Erwin’s skin much more forcefully than he had up until now and Erwin felt all the muscles in his shoulders and neck unlock one by one. Levi hovered here for longer than he usually did and by the time he moved on to Erwin’s arms, Erwin’s neck felt loose, his stomach felt tight, and his jaw ached from trying not to voice any encouragements. Levi had treated him gently until now, but Erwin had always prefered a firm hand. Tom had been the only one who’d really known how to rub his back and shoulders-- where he held all his tension-- the way he liked, although what the massage therapists did was always welcome. 

When Levi started rubbing Erwin’s hand, he didn’t soften his grip. He used the same slow, firm stroke he’d been using before, mixed in a few touches he hadn’t used yet, and by the end of the session, Erwin felt like a puddle of a man, like all the tension had been forced from his body rather than coaxed, so that he lay for a long moment after Levi left the room just trying to collect himself. It felt like it had been a longer session that normal, but when Erwin checked the time on his phone, he realized he had no idea what time they had actually begun. 

His neck was no longer the slightest bit sore. 

*

Levi didn’t go back to the gentle, delicate massage he’d been doing after that. He took his time, rubbed all Erwin’s sorest muscles and Erwin pretended not to notice how each session seemed a little longer than the last even though he was only paying for ninety minutes, how Levi always seemed to know that Erwin’s thighs and biceps were sore from his exercise and worked on those almost as long as he spent on Erwin’s neck. 

He pretended that he wasn’t infatuated with the man, and that there was nothing at all unhealthy about how these regular massages were taking the place of any search for actual human contact. Erwin didn’t go out to bars. He didn’t sign up for online dating or download some fuck app like Mike kept telling him to do. He was too goddamn old for that shit. 

He got his massages. He rearranged his furniture. He made himself dinner. For now, that would have to be enough. 

*

Erwin showered at the gym, like he always did on Fridays. Except when he was done, when he was getting dressed, he looked at his wedding band, tucked into his wallet were he always left it during a workout, and didn’t put it back on. 

He felt strange when he stepped into Levi’s room that day, lighter somehow. 

He set his gym bag down and took a deep breath. He kept doing that, for some reason. He felt like he should put his ring back on, but he knew that was habit speaking. He’d been a creature of habit for the last sixteen years at this point. Mike had been right. It was time for a change. 

Levi came into the room and glanced at Erwin over his clipboard. His voice was wry when he said, “Single massage on Valentine's day? Figured you’d skip today.” 

Erwin blinked. He hadn’t even noticed what day it was. He’d gone about his business as usual and no one had mentioned the stupid holiday to him. Mike probably told everyone at the office not to bring it up.

“No ring today?” 

Erwin actually jerked a little. He hadn’t expected anyone to notice, much less Levi. 

“Uh. No,” he said a little quietly. 

Levi lifted his eyes from his clipboard. Erwin wasn’t even sure why he needed it, but he always had it. “Getting it cleaned or something?”

Erwin flinched and looked down at his hands. He had a little tan line where his ring usually sat. “Actually. Uh. He’s been… gone for a while. So. Seemed like I should probably stop wearing it.” 

Levi said even more quietly then Erwin, voice carefully neutral, “My condolences.” 

Erwin furrowed his brows. “What-- oh. No. No, he’s not.” Erwin cleared his throat. “We’re not together. Anymore. He left me,” he said all in a rush, and then blushed. “Er.” He cleared his throat again. “So.” 

“Sorry,” Levi said. Something in his voice was a little softer somehow. 

Erwin had been coming here for months and this was the first time he’d ever spoken of anything other than his workouts, really. “Don’t be,” he said with a self deprecating laugh. “We were terrible for each other. Made each other crazy.” 

“How long were you together?” Levi asked. It surprised Erwin, a little. Usually if their conversation strayed beyond pleasantries or small talk, Levi was quick to change the subject. 

“Sixteen years.”

“Long time.’ 

Erwin shrugged. “We never should have gotten married,” he said. 

_Never should have gotten married._

He’d thought it before, in dark moments before Tom left. Mike had said it to him. But he’d never said it out loud. There was something pleasant about speaking to a stranger (or. An almost-stranger) about it. Levi didn’t really know either of them. And aside from his affinity for cursing, he was a consummate professional. 

“Why did you?” 

Erwin shrugged one shoulder. “When you’re with someone long enough there comes a point where you either break up or get married. We chose wrong.” 

“Hmm,” Levi said with a little frown. 

“Anyway,” Erwin said with a sigh. “Kinda hard to learn to be single again with a ring on your finger, so.” He gave Levi a falsely cheery smile. 

“How long?” 

“Like six months,” Erwin said. “I’m fine,” he added a little sharply. “Just. Kind of a creature of habit, I guess.” 

Levi smiled at him. 

It made Erwin’s stomach flip over. Levi had never once smiled. Not once. “Yeah. I should say you are. You haven’t missed a Friday here in nearly five months.” 

Erwin smiled back. “I used to get regular massages to help with training. But Tom got weirdly jealous a few years ago and wanted me to stop. A good friend reminded me I can do whatever I want now.” 

Levi furrowed his brow. “Jealous of your massage therapist? Why?” 

Erwin frowned. “I dunno. Just started out of the blue one day. Maybe five years ago?”

“Sounds like he was cheating,” Levi said bluntly. 

Erwin lifted his brows. “I don’t think--”

And then he thought about when Tom had started working late. How enraged he’d get if Erwin ever touched anyone else or even looked at someone else, and yet, how right around that time their sex life had slowly tapered away into nothing. 

“ _Fucking bastard.”_

Levi lifted his brows. “Sorry.” 

“No, _shit,_ I just--” He blinked. “Thanks. It never occured to me…” He shook his head. “Shit.” 

Levi just stared at him. 

Erwin was never putting that goddamn ring on again. 

“On that note,” Levi said with a laugh that seemed darkly amused, somehow. “Get on the table.” 

He left. Erwin disrobed, mind flying over every interaction he’d shared with his husband for the last five years, and climbed under the covers. 

When Levi came back in the room, Erwin was clenching his jaw. 

Levi put his face next to Erwin’s ear and said gently, “Relax.” 

His touch was familiar now. But maybe Erwin was just too angry because there was something different in it. He tried to focus on his breathing, on the gentle music, on the soothing weight of the scented towel over his eyes, but it still took a long time before he felt himself unwind a little. 

Like usual, Levi spent a long time rubbing the tops of Erwin’s thighs, and like usual, Erwin forced his brain to mundane things-- what he had to handle at work on Monday, planning his next work out, what he’d make for dinner that night. 

Levi’s fingers brushed a spot on Erwin’s thigh that Erwin had never felt before. It was an accident, Erwin was sure, but it was enough that he had to bite his lip. No one had touched him there in so long and--

He sighed silently, tried to release some tension when Levi moved to Erwin’s left foot, calf, thigh--

Erwin actually twitched a little, when he did it again. 

He was angry. That was the problem. He was too tense. 

Levi lifted the sheet. “You can turn over now.” 

Erwin rolled onto his stomach in relief. He felt comfortable on his chest; it was how he slept most nights. 

Levi moved over his arms, his back, his legs. 

He pressed firm fingers into a spot high on the back of Erwin’s thigh and since today had been a leg day, Erwin couldn’t hold back a groan of contentment. 

Levi hummed quietly and did it again. Erwin had to hold his breath to bite back the sound. Levi’s hands slipped higher. “These muscles are a little tense today,” he commented blithely. 

“Leg day,” Erwin answered. 

His whole body tightened like Levi’s touch was electric when Levi slipped his hand over the curve of Erwin’s right asscheek and kneaded. 

Erwin couldn’t help it. He squeezed the table, pressed his face into the pillow, and had to force himself not to lift his hips. 

Levi said mildly, “You should have told me to work these muscles then.” 

“Uh.” 

“Too much?” 

“No,” Erwin said far too quickly. 

“Good.” Levi pressed harder and Erwin’s breath got shallow. He tried to hold it, to control himself, tried to remind himself this was therapeutic touching, and he’d done it a thousand times before, and he shouldn’t let this _get to him_ like this. “You seem tense, Erwin.” 

Erwin rolled his eyes behind closed lids. Levi had never called him by his first name before. 

“Fine. I’m fine.” 

Levi hummed again. Was it just Erwin, or was he spending an unusually long time working Erwin’s glutes? 

Just when Erwin was sure he couldn’t stand it anymore, Levi adjusted the blankets and rubbed at Erwin’s low back. Erwin relaxed by degrees. This was familiar. Just a back rub. 

Levi finished the right side and moved to the left and it was the same thing all over again. Erwin’s foot, his calf, his thigh, _his thigh,_ and then Levi worked his hands over Erwin’s ass cheek again and Erwin was _certain_ he was imagining that Levi was spending longer here than he ever did on any one body part, certain he was only hoping Levi was enjoying himself half as much as Erwin was enjoying this. 

“Turn over,” Levi said, lifting the sheet. 

Erwin froze. Levi had already had Erwin on his back. He’d never asked him to turn over again--

Erwin’s breathing had gotten embarrassingly shallow again. He didn’t know how Levi was doing that, or what he was doing, but he’d done _something_ differently and Erwin realized in a horrible embarrassed rush that--

“Turn over,” Levi repeated again. 

Erwin took a few deep breaths, willing himself to calm down, to act like a _goddamn_ adult and--

“Erwin,” Levi said curiously. 

Erwin squeezed his eyes shut. This was it. This was where Levi called him a fucking pervert and banned him from the spa. But he couldn’t actually-- he’d _have_ to say--

“I need a minute.” 

He waited for Levi to drop the sheet in disgust, to tell Erwin to get the fuck off his table. 

Instead, he went achingly still when he felt Levi’s hand on the small of his back, felt Levi slip his fingers into the waistband of Erwin’s boxer briefs and press the tips of his fingers into the meat of Erwin’s right ass cheek. He had to bend low to reach under the sheet like this, and it brought his mouth close enough to Erwin’s ear that Erwin could feel his breath ruffling Erwin’s hair. 

He spoke right up against Erwin’s skin and chills erupted along Erwin’s cheek and flickered down his neck. “Turn over, Erwin.” 

Erwin lifted his head and stared, mind a foolishly stupid blank. 

No one but his husband had touched him in sixteen years. No one at all had touched him in almost two. He had no idea what he was supposed to do.

Levi’s lips quirked when Erwin met his gaze, expression positively sinful. Erwin blinked at him. This was a dream right? It had to be. Levi had never given him a second glance before. Had he? 

“You,” Levi said succinctly, “Need to relax.” He pressed his fingers into Erwin’s skin. 

Erwin dropped his head, lifted his hips, and moaned. Shamelessly. If it was a dream, he might as well enjoy it. 

Levi still hadn’t dropped the sheet. Without another word, Erwin flipped onto his back, shivering at the way Levi dragged his fingertips along Erwin’s hips as he turned. He was staring at Erwin’s face so intently, Erwin couldn’t take it. He closed his eyes, and felt Levi’s fingers dip into his waist band again. 

His breath rushed out of him all at once, and Levi put his lips against Erwin’s skin again. “You should have told me you were single, Erwin.” 

Erwin sucked in a breath. “How was I supposed to know that?” he demanded, voice shaking. Levi was running his fingers just under the waistband of Erwin’s underwear. “You don’t talk.” 

“You realize Petra stopped scheduling appointments for me after you because we’re in here so goddamn long, right?” 

“What? We--” Levi’s hand slipped lower. Teasing. Erwin was going to lose his fucking mind. 

“All my co-workers think we’re fucking.” 

Erwin groaned in spite of himself. 

“I told them we aren’t. But they all think we are, and they think I’m a terrible person for fucking a married man.” 

Erwin’s fingers dug into the table. “ _Fuck.”_

“I--” Levi’s words died on his lips. The tips of his fingers finally inched low enough, brushed Erwin’s cock, straining at the fabric of his underwear. “Seriously?” 

“What?” Erwin said, jerking up so he could look at Levi, afraid he had done something wrong. 

Levi turned his head and was staring at the tent of blankets around Erwin’s waist. 

“Goddamn.” 

Erwin furrowed his brows. Levi flipped down the blankets with a little twitch of his wrist, and then pulled his hand out of Erwin’s underwear. 

Erwin cursed again. His skin was burning. His mind felt fuzzy and he wanted to tell Levi not to stop at the same time he wanted to ask him out. And wasn’t that a mind fuck? Erwin wanted to asked someone out. 

No. 

Levi. Erwin wanted to ask Levi out. 

There was a reason he’d left his ring off today when he’d put it back on every day this week. 

Levi gave Erwin a self assured, almost feral little smirk, and then turned his back, left Erwin panting and confused, and wondering what the fuck he was doing and how he’d gotten here. 

He heard the liquid slosh of massage oil, and then Levi turned back to him, and tugged his underwear down. 

Erwin’s eyes rolled back in his head. He grabbed at Levi’s thigh with one hand, and the sound that left his lips was not appropriate for a strong, slick hand wrapped around his cock. Levi actually laughed at him, and Erwin arched his hips up. 

Levi jerked him off just like he’d massaged his arms and legs-- with long, sure strokes, and intoxicating strength. 

Erwin buried his hand in Levi’s shirt and tugged him down over the table. He wasn’t going to last. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so overwhelmed. His head was spinning. His cock was _throbbing._

He wanted-- needed-- to kiss, and when he yanked Levi down from where he stood, he was clumsy and breathless with a desire he’d been forcing himself to ignore for months. He twisted his hands in Levi’s hair, pulled at him with a need that embarrassed him, and came with a shout before he could make their lips connect. 

He watched Levi smile, and then his eyes rolled back again, hips rising off the table, back tight and--

Levi clapped his hand over Erwin’s mouth. “Jesus, Smith, don’t be such a goddamn whore,” he hissed against Erwin’s ear. 

Erwin pressed his hand over his eyes, tried to bite back the scream Levi was blocking with his palm and didn’t really succeed. 

By the time Erwin fell, instantly exhausted, back against the table, Levi was chuckling cooly to himself. “God, I have wanted to do that for fucking months.” 

Erwin took a huge, gasping breath and stared at Levi with his brows furrowed. “Jesus Christ.” 

“Didn’t think it’d be over so fast though,” Levi said thoughtfully. He released Erwin’s flagging dick and reached for a towel. 

Erwin’s stomach clenched in embarrassment. 

Levi snorted at him. “I’m fucking with you.” 

Erwin scrubbed his hands over his face, disbelief and shame and _blissful_ relief all competing in his chest, and said, “Look, I haven’t had sex in almost two years, you’re gonna have to cut me some slack.” 

“Shit, _seriously?”_ Levi said. 

Erwin spoke before he knew what he was saying, before he could consider that he was lying on a massage table with his underwear tangled around his balls and come cooling on his stomach. 

“Let me make you dinner.” 

Levi snorted. 

“I’m serious,” Erwin insisted. “I’m a good cook. Let me cook for you.” 

“When?”

“Shit, you busy tonight?” Erwin said, only half joking. 

“No,” Levi replied. 

Erwin caught his breath. That seemed _unreasonably_ lucky, given Erwin’s romantic track record. He cleaned himself up and tugged on his work pants with a heat in his cheeks and when he was done, he decided he needed to wipe that fucking smirk off Levi’s face. 

Erwin kissed him. He slipped his hands in Levi’s hair, and pressed himself to Levi’s warm, _solid_ body, and kissed him. And he felt Levi relax in his arms a little, felt him lean in against Erwin and now it was Erwin’s turn to smirk a little. It felt _exceedingly_ strange to be kissing a man who wasn’t his husband, but at least he still remembered how to do it. 

Levi smelled good. 

“Nine o’clock?” Erwin said. 

“Fine. Nine o’clock.” 


End file.
